Chaos breaks out in Harare as post-vote tensions escalate

Police fired teargas at MDC Alliance supporters on Wednesday as tensions escalated in the capital‚ Harare.

Supporters of Nelson Chamisa said he was the rightful president of the country following the elections that took place on Monday. They chanted that we “will defend our vote” as they dug in‚ ramping up their refusal to accept the early results released by the Zimbabwe Electoral Commission.

The ZEC results on Wednesday showed that Zanu PF was headed for a two-thirds majority in Parliament.

Roads were blocked with stones near the Zanu PF headquarters and youths carrying sticks chanted songs in support of Chamisa.

Fires were started on roads near the headquarters‚ any many protesters threw stones at a nearby billboard of President Emmerson Mnangagwa‚

Shops in the CBD were forced to close early amid the chaos.. Motorists also had to change course on roads to avoid the mob.

“We have to close early; it’s a directive from headquarters because of what is happening in the city today‚” said a bank manager.

In the weeks leading up to voting day‚ the MDC Alliance said it would not accept a vote that did not declare Chamisa as president.